


Mortality

by n0cturnus



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Deviant Upgraded Connor | RK900, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Gavin Reed Not Being an Asshole, Gavin Reed is Bad at Feelings, M/M, Short One Shot, Soft Gavin Reed, Soft Upgraded Connor | RK900, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has a Different Name
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-28
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:19:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25567315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n0cturnus/pseuds/n0cturnus
Summary: “Do you think about death often?”In which Gavin is faced with Nines' worst fear when he finds him awake on a sleepless night.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 3
Kudos: 93





	Mortality

It had been snowing heavily since they had gone to bed at around 11 PM. It was early for Gavin, for either of them, really; Gavin hadn’t even smoked before they had crashed for the night.

The human woke up to a horrible chill in the air that was giving him goosebumps. He knew that sleeping in only boxers in the middle of December in Detroit wasn’t the brightest idea he’d had in his life, but under the warm sheets and with his head on Nines’ chest, it shouldn’t have been a problem.

There was an issue with both of those things, now, though; Gavin had somehow kicked the sheets down to the bottom of the bed in his sleep, and his android was nowhere in sight, not even the telltale glow of his LED that always cast a dim blue glow over the walls.

He forced himself up onto his elbows to look around, blinking groggily. The door to his left was cracked open, and he didn’t need to be a detective to deduce that Nines had gone that way.

With a low grumble of annoyance at having to get up at two in the morning to go and seek out the android, he half stood, half fell out of bed.

Immediately, he decided that it was going to be unpleasant wandering the house nearly naked, so he went to get the gray sweatpants and maroon t-shirt he had had on the night before. He slipped them on and made his way to the door, pulling it open just enough for him to slip through and go into the hall. It was dark, and even if Nines  _ was _ out here, he hadn’t thought to turn on any of the lights.

The floorboards creaked under his bare feet on the floor. His apartment wasn’t huge, nor was it anything special, so it wouldn’t take him too long to find Nines if he was here. He had to still be here, too, because where was an android to go at 2 AM on a Wednesday? Even if he had gone on a walk or something, he would have let him know...

Before he was even in the living room, he saw the glow of an LED blinking in the dark. It was yellow, though, and not the calm blue Gavin had familiarized himself with. It  _ did _ bring a feeling of relief, knowing that Nines was here, and that he was okay.

Physically, at least.

Nines was sitting on the end of the couch furthest from the door, staring blankly at the far wall. He was completely motionless, and despite Nines having some pretty weird android behavior from time to time, Gavin was getting the idea that something was  _ off _ here, but he couldn’t put his finger on precisely what it was.

“Nines..?” he asked, quietly. “Why in the  _ hell _ are you up?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” the android responded, but it lacked the usual playful tone that had grown common between them. His voice was flat.

Gavin went around the side of the couch to seat himself beside Nines, plopping down right beside him and looking up at the android. The LED shaded his face yellow, and it flickered like a strobe light in the otherwise dark room. He avoided all eye contact. Gavin noted how Nines was so tense, hands bunching up the sweatpants he was wearing as he fisted the material in both hands.

“Was cold,” Gavin said, lowly. His voice was raspy from having just woken up. “Why’d you come out here? I thought you left or something.”

“No reason. I was merely thinking.”

“Oh, thinking, yeah? Mind sharing?”

Nines slumped back, tilting his head back up barely. His LED transitioned to an angry red, and that was enough to arouse concern in the other.

“You’re red... What’s goin’ on?”

Nines clasped his hands together tightly in his lap but eased a little when he felt Reed’s calloused one reach over and settle carefully on his wrist in an attempt to comfort him.

“It’s a very difficult subject. I don’t think it would be appropriate to discuss it.”

“I don’t mind. If it’s bothering you, let’s talk,” Gavin said, determined to uncover what was troubling his boyfriend. Nines took a breath, and Gavin gave his wrist a reassuring squeeze.

“Do you think about death often?”

Of all of the things Gavin expected, none of them were  _ that _ . He had said it was a difficult subject, though. He dropped his hand from the other’s.

“Well, uh, no, not really. Why do you think-”

“-I had a conversation with Connor about the mortality of our human partners. It troubles me.”

Gavin went quiet for a good minute or so, trying to form a response. Apparently, he didn’t need to give one, because the android filled the silence with more words as he tried to explain his thoughts.

“I know I’m going to outlive you, and that’s.. that’s terrifying. I don’t know what I’m going to do.. after you..”

Gavin swore he could see tears welling up in Nines’ eyes, and he again reached for his hand.

“Hey, relax. I’m still gonna be around for a bit before I kick the bucket, yeah? It’s fine.”

“But.. after.. I'm going to have to be without you. I’ll be alone.”

Gavin shook his head.

“You’ll have Connor, remember?” he said, squeezing his hand, and Nines moved closer, breathing a sigh. Gavin let go of his hand in favor of wrapping his arms around Nines’ waist. He never really saw him vulnerable like this. Ever.

He didn’t say anything else, and Gavin didn’t have any words to say. After all, how  _ could _ you comfort an android when faced with the fact that their love was going to die?

Gavin ran a hand through Nines’ hair, and the android leaned his head back into the familiar touch, the human’s fingers against his scalp. 

“I love you,” the android whispered, just because he wanted to hear it back.

“I know, Nines. I love you too. So damn much.”

They just stayed like that a while.

The two of them knew they couldn’t have this like this forever, so they’d have to cherish it while they had the time to.

**Author's Note:**

> I can't get enough of these two :,)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!


End file.
